Destiny is a Funny Thing
by jiunutninja
Summary: Zuko's reaction and a chance he'll never get. Angsty Zutara. Companion Fic/One-shot.


**Wazzaaaap? :D**

**Okie dokes guys, this is a companion fic to a picture I drew, so ya might wanna check that sucker out too (it's in my profile).** **Basically, this takes place during the last 2 minutes of the finale-- and it's sad. ):**

**TASTE MY SAD GUYS. D: **

**_I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. _**

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**Destiny is a Funny Thing...**

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This was it.

This was it and I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't sleeping on the hard ground or on the Avatar's bison, thousands of feet in the air.

It had finally happened.

The war... was over.

All the pain, the suffering, all of our struggles had paid off. It was all worth it, to see the smiling faces, to be crowned Fire Lord, to be free of my father's shadow, to complete my destiny. The Avatar has defeated my father and we have won the war. I grinned when I looked around the room and saw all the friends I had earned in the past year, the friends that have given their trust in me, the friends that I will dedicate my entire life for redemption of my past actions. I sighed, content as I looked over at Sokka, whom was in the middle of retelling a story.

"...and then Toph ripped off parts of the interior and made herself an iron suit! Then started rolling around and kicking Fire Nation butt!" He exclaimed, acting out exactly what the aforementioned earthbender had done.

My grin stretched a little farther when I looked over at Toph and saw her reclined back, her expression showing that she was far from modest. My head turned back to Sokka and he was rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "Ya know... I can come up with a name for that suit, Toph..."

Amused, I chuckled, and silently thanked Agni for everything that was now surrounding me. I scanned the jubilant faces around me and my breath caught slightly, why I don't know, when my eyes fell on the necklace that was safely left on the table where Sokka had previously sat with his ridiculous painting.

"Katara..."

"Did you say something, Zuko?" I blinked, not even noticing I had whispered her name through my lips and looked to my left. "Oh no no, I didn't, Mai."

She quirked an eyebrow at me, her blank expression taking a hint of wariness, but nevertheless she dropped it and returned her attention on the storyteller. I looked back at the necklace before subconsciously lifting my hand to the scar on my torso, hidden underneath my clothes. I could almost feel the pressure collapsing my insides, the hot white pain searing through my veins, and then the icy sensation of Katara's healing water filling my senses. She had saved my life...

I shook my head, ignoring the tightening knots in my stomach which were probably the after effects of Azula's lightning, and made my way over to the table. Lifting it up slowly, I skimmed a finger across the smooth texture of the pendant. Katara had told me that her grandfather had carved it for her grandmother, as it was customary for engagement, and later she had received it from her late mother. Carving such a thing was to show the dedication of love from man to woman, the task being of the utmost importance.

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_"..it's such a delicate procedure that tests the man's patience during the actual carving process." Katara explained, her eyes caressing the necklace on her hand. The small fire stretched our shadows across the floor as we spoke in hushed whispers, not wanting to risk waking everyone up from a grueling day of routine._

_I scoffed, eyeing the necklace with skepticism, "Why go through all that work for something that the woman should already know? Why not just buy her something or something?" Her face lifted, slight annoyance shining from her blue eyes, "Buying her something doesn't show any effort, Zuko. Why go and easily buy something, when he can actually work hard on something he makes her?"_

_"Wouldn't buying her something show that he worked hard to make the money?" I questioned, a small grin of amusement on my face. _

_She clicked her tongue and leaned forward to flick me on the forehead, "That's not the point." She sat closer and grabbed my left hand, before placing her necklace slowly on my open palm. I felt a small jolt crawl up my arm from her touch but disregarded it when my eyes fell on the necklace, bringing it up for a closer inspection. "Look at how detailed it is, Zuko. Earning money, I'll admit takes effort, but carving something so concise and detailed takes so much care as well as a huge amount of patience."_

_I still didn't look convinced as I blinked at the shiny pendant on my hand, and I figured she saw that because I heard her sigh. I looked over and noticed she was grinning at me slightly, "Well Zuko, I guess you're just gonna have to carve one yourself and see what I mean."_

_We stilled._

_During a few seconds of silence we both let the implications sink in. She seemed to realize first because she pinked, coughed slightly, and mumbled out a 'good night' before making her way to her sleeping bag. She tripped slightly and a curse whispered under her breath before she caught herself and stopped at her sleeping bag. And with unplaced agitation she curled in, her back facing me and stilled, her shoulders slowly falling and rising with her even breaths._

_I blinked, watching the whole scene somewhat mesmerized and shook my head. I felt my cheeks heat again as my eyes drifted from her form down to the necklace in my hand. My expression softened as a foreign warmth made my insides tingle._

_Maybe I _would_ carve a necklace._

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I smiled at the memory, my finger tracing the blue waves etched into the pendant. I guess I should give it back before she flies off the handle to find it, thinking she had lost it. Chuckling at the picture that made, I held her necklace loosely and made my way outside the building, noting that I had seen Katara exit a few moments before. Maybe this would be a good time to tell her...

"Katara..."

And Aang.

I felt my breath leave my lungs and my stomach drop, a bad aftertaste slid into my mouth as I witnessed what I had walked in on. My whole world felt like it was falling around me... and I didn't know why.

My hand shot to the scar under my heart and I felt the searing pain all over again, like the waterbender I had grown to know this past year had never forgiven me, had never healed me, had never saved me.

A mixture of emotions flowed within me: Pain, anger, betrayal, helplessness, selfishness, jealousy. I felt my eyes beginning to water slightly. I furrowed my brows and gritted my teeth, angry fire bubbling within me... but I didn't know why. I didn't know what was happening to me, but I knew I had to get away.

I silently rushed back into the building and didn't look back.

So, I never heard Katara's necklace falling on the floor.

And I guess I'll never carve one myself.

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